Mail-chute.



" oeaisa.-

nsraanr caricia.

KUMMING, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 'I'O U. S. MAIL CHUTE EQUIP- MENT COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

MAIL-CHUTE` To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL A. KUMMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Misso1iri, have invented a certain new and' useful Improvement `in Mail- Chutes, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, suchas will the. chute; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken onfa line 3,-3 ofF ig. 2; Fig. is aA perspective view of a .locking rod utilized for locking the body "of the chute .to its su ort.

' i y invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail chutes, my object being to construct a simple inexpensive chute l -in sectional .form in order that a part of moved to o iie section maybe easily andrquickly regain access to the inkterior of the chute for the purpose of repairor for releasing mail matter'that may be caught in the Hchute thereby tending to clog orA choke the passage-way therethrough. j

Afurther object of my invention-is to provide simple means for locking the removable partsof a chute to the chute support.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicatesvuprights in the form of angle-bars which uprights form the supportingframe for the chute. These upriglits are united by suitable cross-pieces`or spacing strips 2 arranged at suitable distances apart and rigidly fixed to the uprights in any suitable manner. The back wall or rear plate 3v of the chute is preferably formed of sheet' metal .either injonel continuous piece-orin sections, and "fixedin any suitable manner to the rear side of saidA rear wall are hooks 4 which engageover'the `cross-pieces 2, thus rigidly vinaintaining said rear wall in proper position., '1`hje side-edges! ofthe rear wall 3 are tient-rearwardlyand.. then outwardly and p at ai'iglefs, by 5, to/form lgroovesl 6 atf'tliesid'e'edges .55, ofsec'tions of. suitable lengthpeach l'section Specicatioii of Letters Eatent.

Application filed April 9, 1809.

wardly projectingyis and 2o perf @S designated' -ofsaid plate 3, saidgroovespbeing"V-shapedv vided with reduced ends 25 Patented Ang. 9, 19M). Serial No. 488,941.

comprising a front wall or plate 'T or analogous material, the side which are clamped between suitable of glass edges of molding .strips 8, which latter are connected in any suitable manner to 4the front edges of side walls 9 of sheet metal or analogous material, the rear edges 10 of which are bent iiiwardly, and when the chute is assembled these inwardlybent edges tit snugly within the V-shaped grooves t3 at the sides of the rear wall 3.

Fixed in any suitable manner to the outer faces of the side walls 9 at the top of each removable chute section are horizontally disposed plates 11, on the' forward' ends of which are formed upwardly projecting lugs 12, and corresponding plates 13 are arranged on the lower ends of the side walls of each removable chute section, the outer ends of said vplates 13 being provided with downlugs 14. Corresponding plates 15 are fixed on the side walls of the adjacent sections of the chute at both top in their outer ends with not-ches 16 which are-occupied by the lugs 12` and 14 when the removable chute section is in proper position.

Fixed to each side wall'9 between the plates 11 and 13 is one or inorehorizontally disposed plates 17, and formed integral with the rear end of each of these plates is a depending lug 18. Plates 19 are fixed in any suitable manner to the uprights 1, and project forwardly therefrom, immediately below the plates 17, and formed integral with the forward ends of these plates are upwardly projecting lugs 20.

vThe construction just described provides means for supporting the removable parts of vthe chute sections when the same are detached for the purpose' of repair or for the removalof clogged mail matter, and the lugs orm the functions of stops to removable parts from being prevent. #the and bottom, said plates 15 being` provided ,v

wholly.. removed from the chut/e structure, i

gllixed-in" any suitable manner to the side walls 9 are rearwardly projecting plates 21,

.Y in the rear portions of which are vformed horizontally disposed slots 22 .terminating in vertically disposed semi-circular openings 23.

.24 designates a locking-bar or i'od prowhich are journaled in suitable bearings formed in the uprights l. duced ends 25 are lugs 26 which are semieircular in cross-section and of such size as that they will lit in the semi-circular openings 23. (hie of these lugs 26 is made longerv than the other, and fixed thereon is a frank arm 27, the lower end of which is provided with an' ear 28 in which is formedan aper ture 29, and a corresponding aperture is 'formed in a lug or bracket 30 which lis to the face of the corresponding one o'fth'e" uprights l. Vihen the removable part of the chute section.- is in proper position and the crank arm 27 occupies a vertical position, as shown in -Figs. 1 and 2, the shackle of a padlock A, or other suitable locking device, passes through the coinciding apertures in the ear 2S and the lug 30. When the chute v is assembled the removable part occupies the position shown in Fig. l, with the lugs 26 occupying the semi-circular openings 23. Then it is desired to gain access to the interior of the chute forthe purpose of repair or for removinge clogged mail matter, the padlock A is unlocked by a person having a key, after which the crank arm 27 ijs swung upward and forward into a horizontal position, thus bringing the semi-circular'lugs-26 into alinement with the slots 22.' The movable parts oi the chute section comprising the transparent front walls 7 and side walls 9 are'now drawn outward from the fixed back'wall 3, durm which movement the parts are supported y the arms or plates 19A v engaging the shackle of the padlock through the apertures in theear 28 and lug 30'.-

A mail chute of my improved construction comprises a minimum number of parts, is therefore simple and inexpensive. in construction, can be readily assembled or taken apart, and the movable parts can be readily withdrawn from the chute when desired.

lt will he readily understood that minor changes in the construction and form ofthe various parts of the chute can be made without departing from the nature and principle ot my invention.

I claim:

l. In a mail chute, a support, a continu-l ous bacleplateiarranged on said support, a series of. horizontally movable partso't chute sections positioned in front ot the continuous bach-plate, and horizontally disposed Extending outward from these re escasa frames projecting forward from the support 'of the movable parts and engaging the arms.. l,/ In a mail chute, a support, a continul ous back plate removably positioned on the movable support, a series of horizontally parts of chute sections arranged 1n front of the back plate, arms fixed to the support, projecting forwardly therefrom and .engagmg the sides of the movable partsfor supporting the same when withdrawn, andstops onthe arms for limiting the outward movement of said movable parts.

n a mail chute, a support, a continuous back plate removably positioned on said support, a. series of movable parts arranged in iront of the back plate, means whereby. the parts, move bodily in a .horizont-al plane when. detached from the back-plate, and means whereby the outward movement of the movable parts is limited.

5. In a mail chute, a support, a continuous backplate removably positioned' on the support, independently movable parts positioned infront of the back-plate, pairs of arms extendin forward from the support for Aholding te movable part-s when the same are withdrawn from the continuous back-plate, stops on said arms and means whereby each movable part is locked to the support. f

6. In a mail chute, asupport, a continuous back plate removably positioned on said sup ort, a series of movable partsy arranged in ii'ont of the back plate,l means'whereby the parts move bodily in a horizontal plane when detached from the back-plate, pairs of arms where y the outward movement of the movabe parts are limited, and means whereby `each movable part is locked to the support.

7. 'a mail chute, a support, a member arranged to rock therein, a mail chute section arranged in front of and detachably connected to the support and means carried by said chute section for engaging the ends of the rocking member when said chute section is in proper position.

8. ln a mail chute,. a support, a locking rod arranged for operation therein, a. mov- -able part arranged infront of' the support,

and slotted plates carried by the movable part, which slotted plates engage the endsv of the locking rod when the movable part is in proper position.

los

rojecting forward from the support 9. Ina mail chute, a support, a locking rod arranged for operation therein, a mov able part arranged 1n frontof the support, slotted plates carried by the movable part,

which slotted plates engage the ends of the looking rod when the movable part is inproper position, and means whereby the rod is locked against movenient'when the ends thereolz are engaged by the slotted plates. l0. In a mail chate2 a support, a locking rod arranged for rotation therein, a 1nov able part arranged to nove bodily in a horizontal plane in front of the support, slotted plates carried by the movable part and engaging the ends of the rod when the part is in proper osition, and means whereby the locking ro is loc-lied to hold the part in proper position.

l1. In a mail chute, a bacleplate, the side edges or' which are bent so as to form grooves which are V-shaped in cross-section, and front and side Walls, the rear edges of which side Walls occupy the V-shaped grooves in the baeloplate When the Chute is assembled. l2. In a mail chute, a back-plate, the side edges ol? which are bent so as to forni grooves which are V-sbaped in cross-section, front and side walls, the rear edges of which side Walls occupy the V-shaped grooves in the bacloplate when the chute is assembled, and means whereby the parts are locked after being assembled. l

13. In a inail chute, a support, a continuons'baek'plate detachalolyV secured to said support, there being V-shaped grooves 'this 30th day of formed at the sides of the back-plate, front and side Walls, the rear ends of which side Walls are fianged inward and occupy the grooves in the back-plate when the parts of the'chute are assembled, and means whereby the parts forming the chute are locked after being assembled.

let. In a mail chute, a support, a continuous back plate arranged thereon, a series of horizontally movable parts of chute sectionsI positioned in front of the back plate, a locking rod arranged for operation in the support and adapted to engage portions of the movable parts of chute sections,

l5. In a mail Chute, a su port, a continuons back plate arranged th reon, a series of horizontally movable parts of chute sections arranged in front of the back plate, horizontal arnis projectinov forward from the support, plates on tlvie horizontally movable parts of chute sections, which plates engage said arms, and stops on the plates and arms for limiting the outwardmovement of the movable parts of the chute sections.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in the presence of tw'o Witnesses,

March, 1909.

EMIL A. KUMMING. Witnesses:

ALMA GEBHART,

LnNoRE CLARK. 

